Counter-balancing lid support



Nov. 20, 1962 M. E. os'rRoM COUNTER-BALANCING LID SUPPORT Filed March 27, 1961 United States 3,064,847 COUNTER-BALANCING LID SUPPORT Martin E. Ostrom, Rockford, 111., assignor to National Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 98,448 2 Claims. (Cl. 21760) The present invention relates to a novel support for a pivoted lid or closure of a cabinet, and more particularly to a novel self-balancing lid support for automatically supporting and balancing the lid as it is moved toward open and closed positions.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel support for retaining the lid or closure of a cabinet substantially balanced between its fully open and closed positions, and whereby the lid is prevented from closing or slamming shut which may result in damage to the lid, cabinet or its contents or injury to the person.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of novel small and compact counter-balanced cabinet lid support capable of 'being mounted in the corners of a cabinet where it requires but little space and is least likely to interfere with any mechanism or other contents housed within the cabinet.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel counter-balanced lid support comprising an assembly including a stationary housing having a semicircular or arcuate slot through which extends an arcuate projection on one end of a lever arm and which controls the limit of movement of the lever arm and attached lid.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section through a cabinet and pivoted lid and showing in side elevation the novel counter-balancing support, the support and lid being shown in fully open position and in dotted outline in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of the support and open lid of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the support assembly, the view being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the support assembly in the position the parts occupy when the lid is lowered to its closed position.

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 55 of FIG. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more in detail to the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing, the novel assembly includes a housing of substantially inverted L-shape having a top or an upper wall 11, a side wall 12 having an outwardly and laterally projecting anchoring flange 13 at its rear or inner end, and an end or front wall 14 having a forwardly projecting anchoring flange 15. The flange 13 is positioned to anchor the rear of the housing to the interior of the rear wall 16 of the cabinet 17 by means of a screw or attaching means 18, and the flange is positioned to anchor the front of the housing to the interior of an end wall 19 of the cabinet also by means of a screw or fastening means 18, each flange being provided with an opening 20 for receiving the screw. Preferably one of these supports is provided adjacent each end of the cabinet and lid, the one shown being at the 3,964,847 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 ice right and another at the left, the latter being a mirror image of that disclosed.

With the housing is positioned a coil or contractile spring 21 having a threaded nut 22 rigidly anchored in one end of the spring, the nut receiving the threaded end of an adjusting screw 23 projecting through a depressed opening 24 in the end wall 14 whereby rotating the head 25 of the screw 23 to tighten or loosen the same varies the tension on the spring. The other end of the spring is provided with a hook 26 received in an opening 27 in an arcuate projection 28 on the inner end 29 of a lever arm 31 and extending inwardly into the housing 10. This inner end 29 is pivotally mounted or fulcrumed on a raised portion or embossment 32 on the side wall 12 of the housing 10 by means of a rivet 33 journalled in an opening in the embossment and an anchoring washer 34. A washer 35, preferably of nylon, is provided between the head of the rivet 33 and the inner end 29 of the lever arm, and between the latter and the embossment 32, for reducing frictional contact therebetween.

About a peripheral portion of the embossment 32 is a semi-circular or annular slot 36 through which extends the arcuate projection 28 on the inner end of the lever arm 31 inwardly into the housing. The outer end 37 of the lever arm is pivotally connected by a rivet or pin 38 to one end of a link 39 with the other end of this link pivotally connected by another rivet 38 to an arm 41 of a swivel bracket 42 which has an offset flange 43 attached by screws or other attaching means 18 to the underside of a lid 44 hinged at 45 to the rear 16 of the cabinet 17. Anti-friction washers 35 of nylon or the like are also provided on the rivets 38 between the opposite ends of the link 39 and the adjoining reduced end 37 of the lever arm 31 and the arm 41 of the swivel bracket 42.

When the lid 44 is fully open the lever arm 31 extends substantially upright with its arcuate projection 28 moved to adjacent one end of the slot 36 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this position the coil spring 21 is relieved of tension. When the lid is being lowered toward its closed position, the tension on the spring is increased whereby the lid is safely lowered without slamming or damage and without injury to the person moving the lid. Furthermore, the lid is counter-balanced in its movement from open toward closed position and from closed toward open position whereby little effort is required in lowering and raising the lid.

Adjustment of the tension on the spring 21 is easily and quickly accomplished by mere turning of the screw 23, the head 25 of which is readily accessible for turning efiort by a screw driver or other instrument receivable in the slot of the screw. This permits accurate adjustment in accordance with the weight of the lid.

The angle of movement of the spring-biased lever arm 31 is controlled and limited by the semi-circular slot 36 in which its arcuate projection 28 travels. Thus this novel lid support permits opening of the lid through an angle of approximately to an upright position affording full and complete access to the interior of the cabinet. In this upright position there is minimum tension on the spring 21 but as the lid is lowered the tension increases thus biasing the lever arm in one direction. By this novel construction and arrangement the weight of the lid as it is manually moved remains counter-balanced without danger of damage or injury. This permits anyone to easily and safely open and close a relatively heavy lid or closure.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A counter-balancing support for a pivotally mounted lid of a cabinet, comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in the corner of the cabinet below the lid and provided with a top and a side wall to provide an enclosure with the adjacent side of the cabinet and anchoring flanges for attachment to the interior of the cabinet, said enclosure havingan arcuate slot in and adjacent one end of the side Wall thereof, a lever arm pivotally mounted on the exterior of the side Wall of the enclosure and having at one end a laterally extending arcuate projection extending through said slot into the interior of said enclosure, a coil spring within said enclosure secured at one end to said arcuate projection for spring-biasing the lever arm and adjustably connected at the opposite end to said enclosure for adjusting the tension on the spring, and a bracket and linkage afiixed to the opposite end of the lever arm and to the lid for counterbalancing pivotal movement of the lid in its opening and closing moveattachment to the interior of the rear of the cabinet and an anchoring flange at the front thereof for attachmentto the interior of a side of the cabinet, and said pivotal mounting for the lever extends through said side wall of the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Aldeen Dec. 19, 1922 Carson Jan. 6, 1942 

